Long time poster and big Ranger fan, though I do not participate in game threads. For my fellow fans, do you believe as currently constructed that the Rangers have a legitimate shot at a cup? I know lots of good teams in conference this year, but do you guys feel confident at this point in a best of 5, 7 series?
I’m starting feel over confident with Goalie. Almost 2014 vibes where Goalie can go on hot streak. Good times either way, and I think our window is just starting to open.
Not a perfect team by any means, but this team could make noise. The Trade Deadline should be very interesting.
Not a perfect team by any means, but this team could make noise. The Trade Deadline should be very interesting.
Cale Makar > Adam Fox
Maybe - maybe not. It is a lot closer than an absolute determination. Both are great. Rangers fans love Fox because of the story from Jericho, NY and him being a fan. I am not questioning your hockey prowess pj.
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Cale Makar > Adam Fox
Maybe - maybe not. It is a lot closer than an absolute determination. Both are great. Rangers fans love Fox because of the story from Jericho, NY and him being a fan. I am not questioning your hockey prowess pj.
Of course it's an opinion, lol. sorry to mean to seem like I am the end all be all source of who is good at hockey. This group of Rangers fans on here knows their shit.
That said, I don't think it's close with Makar and anyone right now. I think Fox is fantastic, a great skater, passer, shooter, smart two-way defenseman who should be a #1 D/ team captain for a decade.
I think Makar is Bobby Orr.
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We have the top goalie in the NHL, the top defenseman in the NHL, excellent special teams, a 1C...
Not a perfect team by any means, but this team could make noise. The Trade Deadline should be very interesting.
Cale Makar > Adam Fox
1 and 1A, Mr. Contrarian
For the most part they play smarter hockey than in recent years. Still prone to some lapses, but overall much more consistent. And Gallant’s handled injury plus Covid absences really well
Igor looks amazing. Last night was like Hank in his prime - seemed like the Leafs may have scored 8 of not for him standing on his head
And that opinion was mocked incessantly on here. None of you believe they were contenders, most thought fringe playoff team.
I do also think they need to make some deadline moves.
I think they need another veteran D, and a top 9 forward - I don't get as hung up on top 6 vs top 9 as some people, but I think they need another F.
See how Georgiev holds up, but maybe a backup G.
that's not a lot to add (for an average deadline)
I think Makar is Bobby Orr.
Makar is on my fantasy team so I hope both have great years. Bobby Orr? That's it? You didn't want to aim higher? Like the greatest defenseman EVER!
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That said, I don't think it's close with Makar and anyone right now. I think Fox is fantastic, a great skater, passer, shooter, smart two-way defenseman who should be a #1 D/ team captain for a decade.
I think Makar is Bobby Orr.
Makar is on my fantasy team so I hope both have great years. Bobby Orr? That's it? You didn't want to aim higher? Like the greatest defenseman EVER!
LOL, I know it seems outlandish, but do you watch Makar skate? He's like McDavid but on D.
I was watching the Av's game last night and in a pre-game interview with Gretzky, MacKinnon compared Makar to Paul Coffey.
So, Orr, Coffey, whatever, I won't bicker, I love watching him play, he's the best skater I have ever seen on the blue line. Ever.
I know those are a lot of superlatives for a 23 year old, but that's my opinion.
There are going to be some legitimate "contenders" gone in the first and second round.
When he won Conn Smythe as you'd drive down Whitney Ave from Hamden into Cheshire there was a sign "Welcome to Cheshire, home of Brian Leetch 1993-1994 Conn Smythe winner" - he was kind of a big deal/legend in my area.
I see a lot of similarities with Fox and Leetch.
They aren't great 5-on-5, and if the goaltending slips even a little bit in the playoffs when you're likely to have fewer PP opportunities, their margin for error is very slim.
Solid defense
Can score early and often
Need to win more faceoffs
There are going to be some legitimate "contenders" gone in the first and second round.
Tomorrow should be an excellent test. The Carolina Rangers.
I think I read somewhere that the Rangers are 17-3 against Eastern Conf. teams.
I’ll be in Raleigh for the game Friday night. Seems like every time I have Canes/Ranger tickets there is a winter storm to contend with.
While I believe the Rangers can be competitive in the playoffs, their defense is not good enough. Miller makes a lot of mental errors, and even Trouba is good for a couple a game. The third pair is a work in progress to say the least and how many stupid penalties does Strome make a game?
And yes PJ, Makar is better than Fox, but He’s not Bobby Orr, at least not yet in my opinion.
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As far as the Rangers being contenders....I don't think they're quite there yet. They just don't generate enough 5v5 offense. You can't rely on the power play so heavily in the playoffs.
Yup -gonba bring in goons, trade away the talent etc etc
MEanwhile Reeves Gallant etc etc Great job
The trade deadline should be as fascinating as any in recent memory now that the virus scam is slowly winding down. Now who told us the virus would simply vanish again?
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Back by several years. Some felt he'd destroyed the team.
Yup -gonba bring in goons, trade away the talent etc etc
MEanwhile Reeves Gallant etc etc Great job
I am told that this is the best the locker room has been since the cup run.
Fox benefits from today's lack of physical play and rules compared to Leetch. It was a much tougher game in Leetch's day, so Leetch had to fight through that and play more physically on defense than Fox has to do
Not too late to consider (…again) switching your allegiance
They've got two wins over TOR, two over TB, one over FL, one over BOS...Metro games will be ultimate test but they're downright crushing the East.
I viewed Leetch that same way - just a smart heady player. Yes, he could skate like the wind, I remember around draft time he was heralded as the best skater this side of Moscow, but I never thought Leetch was Coffey level (or a Makar level skater)
I don't think Leetch had a particularly great shot, I don't think he was terribly physical, but he was good at all those things (shooting, playing physical when he had to), etc.
I see many of those same traits in Fox.
No apologies for any of it, it isn't smoke and mirrors, but an area for improvement.
They should be aggressive at the deadline, IMO.
People get hung up on the fact that he had to moved and dont look at the fact that the return was bad.
He should have been moved at the deadline last year and my bigest question is if Drury would have done sonif he was in charge then.
Shesterkin has played awesome this year. Concerned about Miller's sophomore slump on defense this year. I actually think Nemeth has been a plus on the blue line so far this year. I wish the defense was more physical.
I wish the Rangers were deeper on offense on at least the top 3 lines. Kakko and Laffy need to be more productive IMHO. 4th line is fine.
Having said all that they can make a deep run in the playoffs this year.
As I remember it, Leetch had a good shot until he hurt his shoulder. He couldn't even attempt a slap shot after that.
Agreed. And since it's pretty widely accepted that the Rangers need another top-6 winger, I feel is appropriate to point out that we had that very thing and gave him away for nothing.
Buch is a point per game player who kills penalties and is a steal at $5.8 million AAV.
We'll see how good a job Drury did if the goaltending slips from "historically awesome" to just plain old "great" and there isn't enough scoring depth at 5-on-5 to generate goals in the playoffs.
As far as the Rangers being contenders....I don't think they're quite there yet. They just don't generate enough 5v5 offense. You can't rely on the power play so heavily in the playoffs.
What exactly do you mean by in his own end?
I don't think I've seen a better defenseman with zone exits than Makar. He's not a net front presence, but I'm ok with that. I am not suggesting don't pay attention to defense I think you know me well enough by now and I think Trouba gets a bad rap by NYR fans because he's incredible at net front presence (underrated since it doesn't show up on the stat sheet), etc but the point of the game is to score and I don't remember ever seeing a D with the combined skill, instincts, and intelligence that Makar has.
Maybe this is a Peyton vs Brady debate where at some point Peyton's inflated offense loses out to Brady's all around game and championships (with Peyton being Makar and Brady being Fox), but that's what I see today.
Fox impresses me often, but Makar does things in a game that has been played for over 100 years that I have never seen anyone else do.
I don't think there is a loser in this discussion.
I just don't think he's as good with his stick as Fox is, so he doesn't steal the puck as much. Doesn't block as many shots - yeah, I know, you don't have a Makar on your team to block shots, but Fox does it more than most scoring defensemen do. Fox's positioning on defense is rock solid.
I will freely admit that there is undoubtedly bias to this. Not necessarily because I'm a Ranger fan, but for the simple fact that I watch Fox play all the time and Makar only occasionally.
But Drury got so little for him. I mean it was pathetic. I’m not sure what happened. I guess he way overvalued Blais (who is a fine bottom-six player when healthy) and the only way the Blues would let him go is if Drury overpaid? IDK, but I still can’t make sense of that trade. Just horrible value.
See you all in April and May. Buckle up.
True, but I could see acquiring someone like Hertl or Kessel as masking some of Kakko and Laf’s flaws. Kakko has been fine defensively and he’s very good at puck possession, but he’s just not scoring. I think if you put Hertl and Kessel on the Kreider/Zibanejad line, it would be much better.
And I think Chytil is overrated. Good skater, but myopic vision, okay talent and terrible finisher.